Media sham or company scam? The Israeli government is now looking into re-testing Neoflam pots and pans over widespread public panic that these “health” pans are allegedly carcinogenic.

With a large share of the market for pots and pans in Israel, the Korean-based company Neoflam is in the media spotlight in the small Middle East country right now — a place where people love to eat, and where grandmothers love to cook. All Jewish holidays revolve around food, so news that a popular company is selling pots and pans with lead and cadmium on them, has created nationwide panic. For all those people who believed Teflon-coated pans to be unsafe for food preparation, they bought into the promise by Neoflam and other ceramic-coated pots and pans manufacturers, that the new line of non-stick pots and pans are not just healthy, they are good for the environment. An Israeli investigative report, however, may have blown the lid off a new toxic industry that is misleading the public.

According to the Kolbotek report, which Maurice details here, the Neoflam pots and pans, marketed with their branded ecological Ecolon coating, contain toxic levels of cadmium and lead, presumably when the food, dishwasher or cleaning utensils come in contact with the brightly colored exterior surfaces. After our posting, the Jerusalem Post picked up on the news. Here are a couple of excerpts:

In one interview Prof. Yona Amitai, formerly chief of mother and child health services at the ministry and a professional toxicologist who now researches and teaches toxicology at Bar-Ilan University, said on Kolbotek that based on the lab results, he would not use the products in his own home.

The cookware that was found to have excessive amounts of the carcinogenic metal-covered products included certain models by Neoflam, Rainbow, Home and Fresco, while models by Arcosteel and Go-Green Perfecto had none or permissibly low levels. Half of all ceramic cookware in Israel is made by Neoflam, the show said.

Kolbotek is known locally in Israel to be sensational in its undercover reports, so just how meaningful their tests are is yet to be seen. And if the TV station’s testing methods are found to be a sham, then they will be held responsible for thousands of pots and pans now heading to the to garbage dump.

The jury is still out on what the country’s recommendation will be on the pots and pans, but Neoflam, other newspapers report, is filing a law suit against Kolbotek, the TV show. I emailed Neoflam for a comment and received no response.

The suit is for NIS 55 million, based on damages of NIS 1,100 per customer and a reported 50,000 customers who bought the company’s products.

Neoflam stated in response: “Global Neoflam is considering filing a massive lawsuit against ‘Kolbotek’ for misleading the public on last night’s episode. ‘Kolbotek’ ignored international standards set based on the potential for dangerous materials to leach into food.

“‘Kolbotek’ was warned in advance that its tests were not in keeping with what’s acceptable around the world, and their results completely contradict the standards of the FDA and checks conducted in Switzerland, Germany, Belgium and other countries,” the company stated.

Interestingly, the more expensive ceramic coated pots and pans by the company Arcosteel passed the rigorous tests posed by Kolbotek at an independent environment safety testing lab, tests which Neoflam say are not relevant to international standards.

You can be sure that we’ll be reporting on this issue as it unfolds. Neoflam pots and pans are sold worldwide, including through various chain stores like Walmart. If you are buying pots and pans for health and environment reasons, you certainly don’t want to be inviting lead or cadmium to your dinner table.

There is obviously a lot of big business at stake here, and the outcome of the next round of tests will either lead to better standards on media reporting, or a worldwide shift in the purchase of non-stick pans.

I don’t own ceramic pots or pans but since hearing about the possibility of carcinogens, I confess, I threw out my brightly colored red Teflon pan, no name brand and made in Korea. Why? Because I am not taking any chances while the jury is still out.

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you karin kloosterman is a big flat bullshit. you are making your own make-believe story and reporting that people do believe on it, you are a mongerer, you are a toxic, you intoxicated your own mind, you are of no help to others

I have a Green Pan (with Thermolon) and an Ecolution Pan (with Hydrolon) – does anybody know whether these are just as bad? I’ve been suspicious about them from the beginning, but not found any concrete info anywhere!

I believe this site has done exactly what the Neoflam competitors wanted. A study when done should not only be for an individual product but also about the other products. I will definitely not look at another teflon coated product even if I have to replace this. is teflon coating not carcinogenic? We got no money back from dupont.. who took the money and who filed the lawsuite. we used teflon for long. If the report had also investigated the outer coating of all products I would have seen it as a neutral report. Including outer coatings of teflon products. I guess in worse case scenario it is steel-iron, Ceramic and worst being teflon. this company took enoughof the consumer money for technologies that may have got whole human race deformed and cancerous.

The published data are unaccountable cadmium alloy commando kolbotek with ceramic coating tools. in contrast, the Israeli device, as well as the relevant regulatory ceramic tools in the United States and Europe, bodktmicoi lead vkdmiom into the liquid. It is important to emphasize that the mere presence of metals schnabrotiot is not a tool; There is a health risk when metals are being released into the food. Therefore, the relevant test is the שלמתכות exhaustion test for determining whether there is a danger to public health. The findings do not indicate that there is a danger שהוצגובתחקיר public health from using these tools. However, the very presence of lead metal with ceramic coating tool vkdmim up the necessary checking these שלמתכות exhaustion. standard following the investigation, the Ministry of health contact the Institute to consider extending device drivers apply to tools crmimlli metal ceramic coated. The Institute prepares response by Israel Standards Institute standard these days for under ceramic amcipoi.

I believe in laboratory results. That is why we have them. Exposure to toxic material could have accumulative results and first symptoms could be very mild and general like fatigue. No body knows what will happen after long time exposure to these chemicals and how it affects pregnant women, fetuses and children. People tried to find safe cookware and gave trust to Neoflam, because they convinced us that their products are 100% free of harmful chemicals. I should admit that Neoflam products are very convenient in use and I hope if they did mistake with exterior coating material they would kindly correct it. On my opinion, they can start another line with safe interior and exterior coating and give their customer replacements

If the result of the laboratory were true’our hospitals were full with poisoned people.It’s not happened.An authorized laboratory don’t release such results till is not checked by another laboratory to confirm the exactity of the results.It’s not happend.Kolbotek can’t afraid people for the toxicity of lead and cadmium and not to remember we received all day this toxic metals during drinking water and all the foods. The results from the foreign laboratory are different and there are the basis for imported dishes.

FDA does make recall for products that have been approved earlier in case of initial investigation missed something or product reveals some new harmful features later after approval. I will definitely return my Neoflam pot to the store tomorrow. On Neoflam packaging it says very clear: 100% PTFE&PFOA free; free of harmful chemicals. It means free of harmful chemicals at all. Exterior coating can come in contact with interior in case of storage, scratching and other. I, personally, put one skillet on other like many other customers. I do not know what between you and this company, I can assume that you are an employee or have personal interest in this case. I would put people’s health first; especially there are no final results from the court yet. Yes, it has been approved by FDA from US, Canada and other countries, but I do not see anything wrong if FDA of Israel give us their opinion.

The Kolbotek has mentioned that more than 44,000 ppm of carcinogenic material has been detected, but the important thing is that what is the tolerate number for them. I am using ceramic coated pans & pots in my kitchen.

The TV show in Israel is Commercial show that need rating to survive, just in 3 years the Ceramic fry pan took over the Teflon fry pan,Neoflam become the leader Ceramic coated cookware in the world and in Israel it took 50% of the market, on the way for this figure few companies lost a big share of the market. Neoflam is suing the TV show for miss leading the public at the moment, The Minister health Department of Israel respond to the show with a letter that published in all the dally newspaper that the Show DID not check correctly the products, You can go to our website http://www.neoflam.com.au and find all the certification from around the world that show with no doubt that no heavy metal is migrant to the food and when you check the coating no heavy metal is detected. The sale that we having is because we coming to Easter and Mother’s Day soon and it is a time for sales, all the cookware company do sales at this period of the Year, I also sent all the certification to this website that it is better to have words like “Carcinogenic and Panic” in a rating world it is very hard to stay ethical you can contact our office for any enquirer.

OK, so as far as I know and understand, the testes from all countries (EU, Canada an the US) all measure the lead and cadmium in the inside of the pots and pans, because this is the ONLY part that comes in direct contact with our food.

They ( the EU, Canada an the US) do not measure the outside because it is not relevant. any lead or cadmium can not leach from the outside into your food.

also did you notice that in this show they mainly told about neoflam results from the outside?

I understand that there is a health issue, and believe me I have kids, and I cook with these pots and pans, and the last thing I will like, is to know any thing is wrong with them. But really if I can not trust my governments to protect me on things like that, and I need to trust a TV show, than I must say it is a game over for centralization and here chaos.

and you know we all make mistakes, the FDA makes mistakes the EU certification board makes mistakes, but they have NO interest in it, unlike Kolbotek.

I went to the site and I read the FDA report. Note that the tests were done on the internal parts of the pan. The FDA actually shows where in the report.

But as the Kolbotek report pointed out, use of dishes, in the sink, in the dishwasher, as we scrape them with abrasive materials to clean off the soot and grime — well anything on the outer coating of the pan does have a chance to leach into our food.

I have personally tried to scrape the black gunk off a colorful pan thinking nothing of it. Chances are I also scraped off some lead or cadmium along with my kitchen sponge.

Hi John, Yes we do have an interest – that is to report on environment and health issues. I have emailed Neoflam to get their side of the story and have received no comment. My interest is to help the public know what is going on in the Middle East so they can make informed choices – the same way that the Jerusalem Post, and other local newspapers have reported on it. And I will continue to do so as the issue unfolds.

You are right the FDA is rigorous, but they are not God and can make mistakes too.

Google “FDA and mistakes” and you’ll come up with more than a few results.

I don’t think you have the right to publish something like this, without knowing 100% that what you write is true.

The FACT is, that Neoflam international is suing Kolbotek.

On the Neoflam Australia I found the FDA approval and test results. I truly do not think the FDA is stupid, and I think that by publishing something like that (including the misleading information your are publishing of the test results, where you state test results figures of lead and cadmium from the out side, as the result of inside tests). it really feels like you have some kind of interest in writing this article, and it puts your credibility on the line.

I think you better rethink keeping this post open, because you my find your self in need of a good lawyer soon.

Harmful substances are a grave cause for concern. Even if a sample product has been tested, the result cannot be trusted if the product was provided by the manufacturer as special samples can be made just to pass certain regulations or to acquire a certificate. The best method to truly test a product is to purchase several random samples from different retail outlets and conducting appropriate tests.

My friends and some family members also use Neoflam. We are from Malysia and would appreciate any news about Neoflam as there is no news whatsoever in South East Asia and we are also afraid if it is bad for health. Thank you

I’d say rather than simply reporting on the panic that you’re adding fuel to the panic fire. The media is only too happy to takes a little unsubstantiated and/or misinterpreted “information” and turn it into “news” to capture readership/viewership, not to inform or educate. “The sky is falling, the sky is falling!” Hmmm, but where is the evidence? You do no useful service when you simply repeat and/or supply links to the unsubstatiated “problem”. Now if you would, as I firt stated, supply links to the test methods and data, that would be a quite different story. But that is probably much too hard for you to supply; you’d need to do some real work at finding the sources rather than simply reporting that the public is in a panic at hearing that the sky is falling, even with no hard evidence at hand, or even sources from where to obtain the evidence.

I am a chemist living in Israel. Your “reporting” does nothing but add to the sensationalism and promotes premature public concern over what may be a non-issue. Where are the details of the testing? I don’t see a single reference to the test method used nor to the test results, nor to any scientific evaluation of the test results. Just because the materials in question contain a hazardaous component does not mean that the hazardous component can be released. It is one thing to do a chemical analysis and state the type and amount of hazardous material present. It is quite another to do studies of leaching out under normal and abnormal use, and to also do studies on biological uptake after ingestion. Maybe the exterior coating contains hazardous materials that are bound up in the coating formulation so that even if you strip off the entire coating and eat it, it all passes through your system. Again, where are the test methods, test data, and analyses? Send them or at lest a link to them to me and I’ll make a SCIENTIFIC review of the method and results for free. I’m not holding my breath waiting for a reply, because sensationalism trumps good science every day of the week for getting into the news.

Hi Regit, we are reporting on the panic, which is a very real occurrence. Some shops in Israel have slashed prices by 70% according to one of our writers/bloggers in Israel. The public’s concern is real and that’s what we are writing about here. This is your answer.